Month: February 2014

Downton Abbey: Handling an employee resignation with class

Although Downton Abbey focuses on the upstairs/downstairs dynamics of the fictional aristocratic Crawley family and their staff, there are still some lessons that contemporary employers may take from the show. For instance, in a recent episode, the staff dealt with the sudden resignation of second footman Alfred, as he was accepted into the Ritz cooking […]

Does ‘at-will employment’ really mean what you think?

by Joseph Godwin Many employers rely heavily on “at-will employment” to terminate unsatisfactory employees. In theory, if at-will employment applies, you can fire a worker at will, which means for a good reason, a bad reason, or no reason at all. However, if a termination decision is challenged, it can be difficult to show that […]

Train Your Managers to Be Winning Coaches

To recap the coaching training exercise: This exercise is intended for all supervisors. Its objective is to review basic information about coaching. Instruct trainees to complete the work sheet below. Then discuss the results as a group and answer any questions. 1. Briefly define “coaching.” __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ 2. Identify three purposes of coaching. __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ […]

Engagement? Retention? Train and Talk

[ go here for the first three T’s] Training Training is a reward. Top people want to keep their skills up and you need them to believe that the organization cares about keeping employee skills up to date. Development is both a management responsibility and an employee reward. What If We Train and They Leave? […]

Recruiting 2014—Basics Still Apply

In yesterday’s Advisor, we looked at recruiting 2014; today, some basics that are easily forgotten in the rush-to-hire mentality, plus an introduction to a FREE best practices guide, sponsored by iCIMS The most basic failure in hiring hasn’t changed for decades: Looking before you know what you are looking for. Basic #1. You have to […]

Training and Talking Keys for Retention and Engagement

In a previous Advisor we featured consultant Ron Katz’s “5 T’s of Retention”; today, the final two T’s, plus an introduction to the all-things-HR-in-one-place website, HR.BLR.com®. [go here for the first three T’s] Training Training is a reward. Top people want to keep their skills up and you need them to believe that the organization […]

Tips for Ensuring Meal and Rest Break Compliance in California

With penalties accruing and the potential for lawsuits, most California employers try to be extra careful to stay in compliance with the meal and rest period requirements under California law. But missteps can add up quickly, and lawsuits often mean high settlements. What can be done to try to avoid accidentally not providing employees with the meal and rest breaks they're entitled to?

Do You Train Managers to Be Winning Coaches?

In sports, coaches develop and motivate players. They work hard to bring out the best in each player and then to unify all their players into a winning team. Coaching in the workplace has basically the same purpose and involves similar techniques. To develop a competent, motivated, and productive workforce, your supervisors must be good […]